Padarath: I’ll continue to speak out in Parliament

PRINCES Town MP, Barry Padarath, said in his attempts to bring national attention to the issue of no water in his constituency, a motion to debate this issue was not allowed in Parliament on Wednesday.

“Parliament is being used to brace the incompetence of the government on national issues. It is no longer the seat of democracy,” Padarath said. He was ejected from the House during this week’s sitting by Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George.

He plans to continue to speak out regardless of the consequences as he seeks to alleviate the suffering of constituents. The government, he said, sits in Port of Spain with a 24/7 supply of water. “Are they saying the people of Westmoorings are more important and their lives have more value than the people of Princes Town?”

An outraged Padarath said the water situation has reached crisis levels in Princes Town and south Trinidad. “There are businesses and residents who have been without pipe borne water for over two months.”

He added that poor people cannot afford to pay for truck borne water supplies and are crying out for help from him. “The politics of spite and malice is at work here,” he said.

On Thursday, when Newsday visited Princes Town, residents, teachers and businessmen were crying out for water. Richard Tull of Persad’s Breakfast Shed said he was forced to close up shop at 11am because he paid for water and did not receive it.

“I run a food place so water is of vital importance. We are paying for water, we haven’t gotten it, we are closing early because of no water and we are losing earnings,” Tull said.

Schools were also closed at half-day because taps were dry. Princes Town Presbyterian, Princes Town Anglican, St Stephens and Princes Town Secondary were all dismissed at noon because of no water. In Parliament on Wednesday, Education Minister Anthony Garcia declared that schools in south Trinidad have a regular supply of water.

Doubles vendor Shazard Ali said he is so desperate for water, he is contemplating going to the river to wash utensils he use for his business.